Friday, June 4, 2010

I previously wrote an entry about Kevin Costnerand his attempts to aid the clean up in the gulf and in that post I decided to make an avatar joke. Little did I know that a mere two weeks later James Cameron, seen above trying to look calm while being held captive by two escaped mental patients, would step up to offer his underwater expertise to aid in operations to stop the massive leak in the gulf.

Like Costner, Cameron has decided to use his own resources to do what he can to improve the situation, rather than wasting time arguing over who's fault it is. If he truly can do anything to aid in the crisis then Bp, the federal government, and all the rest of us should welcome his help. But like before what I find most relevant about this story is not that Cameron has stepped up to help but the reason that Cameron's offer is such big news; the fact that no one else seems to have a clue what to do.

To be fair there are of course a few ideas out there such as the nuclear option which I'm sure you've heard about by now, but in case you haven't. This plan involves detonating a nuclear device above the well in the hopes that when the explosion turns the sea floor into glass it will seal off the leak. Or, that glass could shatter and create a massive canyon for the oil to leak from. Either way, seems like a reasonable plan. Right?

Meanwhile oil continues to stream into the ocean, irreparable damage continues to be done to the environment and individuals continue to loose they're lively hood as a result of others corruption and incompetence. I myself am among those wondering what impact the spill will have on my life as I have the great misfortune of not only living in Florida, a circumstance I define as unfortunate even without an oil spill, but earning my living making fishing lures. Though I suspect I'll make it through okay given that I'm on the east coast, the spill has already had an effect on business throughout Florida. And even if I do make it through, lots of people throughout the southern coast won't be so lucky.

Given the media coverage on this I see no need to carry on or link to additional information so instead I'll leave you with a calculation to ponder.

Since the spill began BP has maintained there is no more than 5000 barrels of oil a day leaking from the ruptured well, it's seems clear that it's a much higher number than that but lets go with it:5000 barrels x 55 gallons per barrel, equals:275,000 gallons of oil a day, x 46 days equals: 12,650,000 gallons leaked into the ocean thus far. If the leak doesn't stop until August, and a relief well could take much longer, that's another 57 days or 285,000 barrels or15,675,000 gallons if the well is not capped until august first. Which would bring the Conservative total of oil leaked into the ocean to a grand total of: 28,325,000 gallons.-CAINE-